Practical applications for using social media to boost your business

Even today’s most successful businesses are seeing shrinking returns on their advertising and marketing dollars. The Digital Handshake explains why advertising and marketing are losing their effectiveness and how to solve the problem using social media to corral elusive consumers. It explains the best practical business applications in current use and how you can use them to ramp up your business.

Using case studies gleaned from real businesses, author Paul Chaney shows you how companies both large and small that can tap social media to mitigate market changes and reap valuable business benefit in the real world.

• Explains how you can use social media to grow your business and connect with consumers

• Author Paul Chaney is a leading authority on blogging and social media

• Covers practical, effective business applications for blogging, social networking, online video, microblogging and much more

• Shows how to design a comprehensive marketing strategy using traditional and new media platforms

Today’s technology can either undermine your marketing efforts or enhance them. The Digital Handshake helps you make sure the Internet grows your business for the long run. From the Inside Flap Traditional marketing tactics aren't bringing in customers like they used to, and even today's most successful businesses are suffering shrinking returns on their advertising and marketing investment. The Digital Handshake explains this phenomenon and reveals seven effective, proven strategies for using new media and online tools to find new customers and keep them. Marketing is no longer a one-way street, but an engagement in a conversation with customers and potential customers. The Digital Handshake shows you how to introduce yourself to the online world and engage customers via new media tools like blogs, social networks, online video, podcasting, mobile marketing, customer ratings systems, and Twitter. Using real case studies, social media authority Paul Chaney shows you how to design a comprehensive marketing and advertising campaign that enhances traditional marketing efforts with an entire suite of new media applications. He provides practical Web 2.0 solutions for real-world business problems, including how to counter negative perceptions about your brand or company, reward those who speak well of you online, and generate brand awareness and positive impressions. Social networks like Facebook and LinkedIn are growing by leaps and bounds, connecting people in profound new ways and changing the way communities and individuals buy. Tomorrow's best companies will be those who can most effectively use social media to connect with consumers, ramp up branding efforts, and grow their online presence. New technology can either undermine your marketing efforts or enhance them. Don't be left behind. The Digital Handshake is a tactical and practical guide for non-technical business leaders who want to leverage the new media tools like social networks to positively affect their bottom line.